Former teacher faces prison time

By Staff
A former Danville-Neel Elementary School teacher will learn March 30 how long she will be in prison after being convicted last week of sex crimes against a 14-year-old girl.
Jessica Heather Defoor of Decatur was found guilty of sexual abuse and enticing a child for a sexual purpose. Defoor has been on administrative leave from her job as a second-grade teacher at Danville Neel Elementary School.
During the trial, Defoor admitted to taking the child to concerts and providing her with alcohol. Defoor said the child was present in her home on an evening in February 2006, that she served the child alcohol, and had sexual intercourse with a man while the child was in the house. The child testified that Defoor subjected her to sexual contact, and invited her into the bedroom where she enticed her in an attempt to engage her in sexual contact. The child said she did not do so, but that Defoor had sexual intercourse with the man in the same room where the child was.
The crime was discovered when the victim shared the information with a teacher, and school officials reported the matter to authorities. Attorney General King’s Family Protection Unit presented evidence to a Morgan County grand jury, resulting in Defoor’s indictment on July 23, 2009.
Defoor faces up to 10 years in prison for the enticement charge and a year in prison for second-degree sexual abuse.